Europa Regionum

This article presents the results of a survey conducted in 2020/21 on a group of young people’s opinions about where they live, and their educational and career plans. The population sample, comprising a total of 14,507 respondents, included all final-year secondary school students from 339 municipalities participating in the predefined Advisory Support Centre project of the Association of Polish Cities. The research showed that these young people are highly critical of the conditions and perspectives of life in their municipalities and regions, and at the same time have relatively high educational and professional aspirations. Expressed opinions and declared attitudes reflect their stereotypical beliefs about work and the world, testifying to the lack of self-confidence and awareness of limited social competences. Students of technical and vocational schools are distinguished by a higher degree of pragmatism and realistic perception of their opportunities for development in local communities. Despite territorial differentiation, young people from various regions are characterised by high similarity of social features (e.g. self-assessment of their material situation, social and professional background), but also declared values and opinions. They are not significantly differentiated by living in rural areas or small towns. This is undoubtedly the effect of the blurring of civilization borders between these environments in the so-called provinces. This process has accelerated in recent years due to the increase of wealth in rural areas, standardization and ease of access to popular culture and common participation in communication systems and virtual communities mediated by mass communication means of new technologies (IT). The purpose of social surveys recommended by Association of Polish Cities to self-governments is to be their operational usefulness for rational and legitimized strategic management of local communities. Use of their results in this particular function is shown in the following article.